Saylor, Alonso sue city, saying careers ruined

attle Creek’s deputy police chief and inspector, suspended for five weeks, filed a federal lawsuit Friday against the city.

Deputy Police Chief James Saylor and Inspector Maria Alonso said they were denied due process and have been permanently damaged by the actions of the city, Mayor David Walters, Interim City Manager Susan Bedsole and Interim Police Chief James Blocker.

They have alleged the city has ruined their careers by releasing public information alleging they created a hostile work environment within the department because they had a romantic relationship.

Both remain on paid leave as the city continues its investigation, which Bedsole said this week may be completed in a few days.

The case was filed in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Michigan by attorney Michael Pitt of Royal Oak.

The suit contains allegations that the city used the news media to damage the reputations of Saylor and Alonso and “effectively ended their careers with the BCPD and constitutes a constructive termination of employment.”

Saylor and Alonso declined to comment.

Pitt also declined further comment about details of the suit.

“I am going to rely on the complaint. I am not going to try this in the press but in the courtroom,” he said. “We are going to try the case in the courtroom where it belongs and not in the media.”

Bedsole said she was aware of the contents of the suit but had little else to say.

“We will deal with this litigation just as we would any of the other litigation that comes through for the city,” she said.

Walters could not be reached for comment, and Blocker said Friday afternoon he had not seen the complaint.

In the court filings, Saylor, 47, and Alonso, 42, said they have been friends for 20 years and only began a romantic relationship in January after both were divorced.

They say that both former Chief Jackie Hampton and former City Manager Ken Tsuchiyama and Employee Relations Director Russ Claggett approved the relationship because Alonso was not reporting to Saylor.

But Saylor said he was informed by Tsuchiyama that he would not be appointed interim chief after Hampton’s retirement and if he applied to be chief, Walters had threatened to attack him and Alonso in the media.

In the complaint, Saylor and Alonso alleged that Mayor Walters held a vendetta against them because they had recommended that Officer Derek Walters, the mayor’s son, be fired from the department in 2013.

In the complaint, they allege that Derek Walters was investigated by the department for not filing a report on a domestic violence complaint and then lied to a supervisor. Further, they alleged, he defied an order from Alonso to refrain from speaking to anyone about the investigation against him.

When Alonso and Saylor recommended Derek Walters be fired, they said Mayor Walters attempted to intervene by threatening to hire an attorney.

Derek Walters was suspended following the investigation, rather than being fired, as Alonso and Saylor recommended, and they contend Tsuchiyama said that if Saylor applied to succeed Hampton “Mayor Walters and others on the City Commission would disparage Saylor and Alonso by going to the media.”

They also contend that Walters and Vice Mayor Deb Owens disagreed with a plan to have Alonso report to the city manager and forced Tsuchiyama to retire in February.

In other allegations, Saylor and Alonso contend:

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Blocker, who was appointed by Bedsole, is not qualified to be chief but is a friend of Mayor Walters and Commissioner Mike Sherzer.

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That Bedsole and Blocker orchestrated a media event to announce they were suspended and painted a false and defamatory public image of them.

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City officials have used the media to damage their reputations and have conducted a sham investigation.

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They were not terminated for just cause and that the city did not follow progressive discipline procedures, which would include verbal and written reprimands, suspensions and then dismissal.

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The court should quash a subpoena which the city has issued to Apple, Inc. for their personal electronic files. They contend that the city must have a search warrant and has not obtained one.

“As a result of the violation of their constitutional rights, Alonso and Saylor have experienced non-economic injury both past and future in the nature of humiliation, loss of earning capacity, loss of reputation, embarrassment, mental anguish and emotional distress.”

They are asking the court to force the city to reinstate them, to order the city to refrain from retaliation against them, and to order payment of economic damages, attorney fees and punitive damages.

Pitt said Friday he didn’t expect the case to be heard for several months.

Call Trace Christenson at 966-0685. Follow him on Twitter: @TSChristenson